MP Jane defends striking crews

EAST Reading MP Jane Griffiths has broken ranks with Tony Blair to speak up for the firefighters despite a heated picket line exchange yesterday.

In a show of anger at the Labour Government, Reading's Caversham Road strikers shunned Ms Griffiths when she turned up to pose for a picket-line picture opportunity.

But the Reading East MP still defended the strikers on BBC2's Newsnight last night.

Ms Griffiths claimed that rank and file

firefighters do support modernisation and questioned the Government's handling of the strike.

When asked if she was prepared to go against the Government she said: "I'm one of the buffalo girls, I'm going round the outside."

She told the Evening Post this morning that the line from a song by Malcolm Mclaren "was something of a mantra for her".

She said: "I don't believe in meeting conflict with conflict and going head to head - it's the boys' way of doing things."

She said she had visited picket lines at Caversham Road and Wokingham Road fire stations to discuss the firefighters' feelings.

She said: "I wouldn't say that they were at odds with their union leaders, but they certainly seem to be more flexible and are prepared to talk about different ways of working and ways to modernise working practices."

She said: "If I felt that the Government was preparing to crush the union, then I would be very anxious. But I don't think that is what they intend to do. There are further talks going on today."

Earlier, Ms Griffiths had been embarrassed on the picket line when Caversham Road firefighters refused to pose with her.

The MP's husband and political assistant Andrew Tattersall had invited the Evening Post to the fire station at 8.30am to take a photograph. But the photo session was

halted when one firefighter said that if the Labour Government would not stand by them, they would not stand by Labour MPs.

Dave Dymond, who chairs the Berkshire Brigade of the FBU and was at the Caversham Road fire station at the time of the incident, said the firefighters were "unhappy" to have their picture taken with Ms Griffiths.

He said: "They lined up to have their picture taken as there has been a lot of press interest in the strike. But when they saw Jane Griffiths they just weren't happy to be in it with her.

They felt there was a conflict of interests."

Ms Griffiths told them she was there to support them and to take their concerns to the Government. But the crew at Caversham Road fire station was adamant.

Later that morning Ms Griffiths said: "They gave me a very good welcome when I arrived. They

made clear to me they were not happy with the way they had been portrayed by most of the media.

They were concerned about the way the story would be printed."

She agreed one firefighter had said that they would not pose with her because Labour was not

standing by them.

Ms Griffiths said: "I think a lot of what has been said about the firefighters has been unhelpful. I spent a lot of time with them earlier this year so I think I have a better idea of what they do than some."

However Mr Dymond said: "That may be Jane's spin on it. Obviously we have been striking for some time now. This is the first time any politician has put in an appearance in Reading.

"Firefighters on the picket line are very angry and disappointed at the Government. I know Jane Griffiths came to give her support to us and to pass on our views to the Government. But as a back bencher any influence she has is quite minimal."

* Ms Griffiths was quoting lyrics from the hit single Buffalo Gals by Malcolm McLaren and the World's Famous Supreme Team which reached number 9 in December 1982 and concerns an American ghetto skipping game.